J.V. Bilberry and family of seven moved from Stephens County to Dickens County in 1899 in three covered wagons. Some of the boys drove the cattle and horses behind the wagons. After a week on the road, we landed on the Hagins´ farm in Duck Creek Community and worked that farm in 1900.
The family lived in a two room house. That was a good crop year. We raised cotton and cane. The cotton crop had to be ginned at the Hagins´ gin at Old Clipper in Kent County and the cotton marketed at Abilene and Stamford.
The next year Dad bought a section four miles east known as the Roberson place. Only school sections could be bought; in between these sections would be railroad section. So the settlers were on a long community, running east and west. Among the early settlers on these sections were the Hagins, Carlisles, and Randalls and others I cannot remember.
On this place our baby sister was born and also most of the older ones were married. Luther and Elek married Stinnets´ girls. I married Linnie Woodburn of Portales, NM. Lydia, our oldest sister married Joe Ragsdale. Dad being a preacher, and gone most of the time, he traded this place for one in the north part of the county eight miles north of dickens, known then as the Cobbs´ farm. There being available other land, we boys bought land also North of Dickens. Luther and Elek moved to New Mexico for a few years but came back to Dickens County and reared their families. Through the past 63 years there have been members of the Bilberry family in the county at all times.
Luther and I entered the ministry. I soon left for college training in 1914 and have not lived in the county since then. For the past 39 years I have lived in Jacksboro, TX, where for 27 years I was pastor of the First Baptist Church, and after retiring have chosen to continue to live here. Mother and Dad died in Spur and are buried there; the two girls also passed away and are buried in Spur.
But back to the early days in the county for a bit of history; the few neighbors had to cooperate. Our post office was in Dickens, (it was Dickens City then) so when any neighbors went to Dickens, he would bring the mail for the community. In the post office, it was just the "Duck Creek mail", this helped all concerned.
The nesters felt free to turn their stock out on the Spur land then, and there was never any complaint from the ranch. In fact, the nesters saved many cows for the company. In the spring, the cows would be weak from the winter season and often get into bogs and could not get out, the nesters would find them pull them out and put them on feed and most of them would live.
These early nesters would also join together in going to the railroad at Quanah for supplies. We had to cross the Tongue and Pease Rivers, there were no bridges. The ones that were heavy loaded had to have double teams to pull the river. It seemed every time we came back the rivers would be bank full. Sometimes we would have to wait for a week for the river to go down. It took a week to make the round trip. In 1909, the railroad was built from Stamford in to the county, and thus Spur was born. From here on in is modern history.
Luther, Elek, Melvin and I are the remaining member of the J.V. Bilberry family, this 21st day of April, 1964.
by Alvin R. BilberrySource: History of Dickens County; Ranches and Rolling Plains, Fred Arrington, ©1971
County´s oldest citizens and a West Texas pioneer mother, died at her home in Spur Monday morning, June 15, 1912 after an illness of three weeks following a stroke. Mrs. Bilberry was 81 years, 3 months, and 27 days old at the time of her death.She was born Nancy Ellen Bilberry, February 27, 1861, a daughter of Henry and Dellah Cannon Bilberry. She came with her parents to Texas and to Lampasass County where on October 24th 1880 she was married to J.V. Bilberry. To this union were born eight children, two of whom died in infancy.
Mrs. Bilberry with her husband and children came to the West and to Dickens County in 1889.
At an early age she was converted and joined the Baptist Church and through the years she lived her religion in her daily life. She, as many other Texas pioneer wives and mothers, kept the home fires burning while her husband, a pioneer Baptist preacher, traveled near and far doing the will of his Master.
Funeral services were held from the Spur First Baptist Church, Tuesday, June 18, 1942 at 2:30 p.m. Rev. A.P. Stokes, of Afton, and Bro. Jones, of Haskell, jointly conducted the services. Interment was made in the Spur Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Jodie Joplin, J.W. Moore, Walter Smith, Carl Yoes, C.N. Kidd, Alvas Bilberry.
Flower bearers were Mrs. Yoes, Mrs. Elmer James, Mrs. Walter Smith, Ava Nell Bilberry, Edna Edgar, and Marjorie Cole.
Survivors are her husband, J.V. Bilberry, four sons, Rev. L.S. Bilberry, of Memphis. E.J. Bilberry, of Spur; Rev. A. R. Bilberry, of Jacksboro; Melvin Bilberry, of Spur, two daughters, Mrs. Lydia Ragsdale, of Haskell; and Naomi Everett, of Vernon; one sister, Mrs. Dora Henderson, of Spur., four brothers, W.C. Bilberry, Lingo, NM; Lee Bilberry, Ricker, TX; eighteen grandchildren and several great grandchildren.
©The Texas Spur, June 18, 1942
Obit submitted by Lillian Grace Nay, transcribed by Linda Hughes
In the passing of Rev. John V. Bilberry, 83, death claimed one of the most loved and most honored of all the old pioneer settlers of Dickens county. Reverend Bilberry has lived a very colorful and interesting life. He began his ministry in Stevens county at the age of about 38. Words cannot express the good works, or the noble deeds of this grand old man of God. For people such as Brother Bilberry, surely this passage of scripture was written - "Well done they good and faithful servant."Reverend Bilberry passed away at his home in Spur Monday night at 10:05 o´clock after an illness of six weeks.
Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 o´clock in the First Baptist Church in Spur. Rev. Herman Coe, pastor, assisted by Rev. W.F. Markham, officiated.
Pallbearers were, five grandsons and one nephew, Arthur, Venson, Alvis, E.J.Bilberry Jr. Jack Fulfer and Homer Hill. Interment was made in the family burial plot in the Spur cemetery, under the direction of the Chandler Funeral Home.
John V. Bilberry was born Sept. 10, 1860, in Missouri. He came with his parents to Texas at an early date. He was married to Miss Nancy Ellen Cannon in Lampass, Oct. 20, 1880. Six children were born to this union. With his family he moved to Dickens county in October 1899, and has resided here ever since. And here in Dickens county his children grew to womanhood and manhood.
Reverend Bilberry´s ministry began about three years before coming to this county, but he was officially ordained into the ministry in a little one room school house where the town of Jayton now stand. Ever since that day he has been about his Master´s business.
Survivors are his wife, Mrs. Ruby Bilberry, two daughters, Mrs. Lydia Ragsdale, Haskell; Mrs. Naomi Everett, Vernon; four sons, L.S., Memphis; E.J.., Spur; Alvin, Jacksboro; Melvin, Midland; one sister and one brother; 18 grandchildren and several great grandchildren.
©The Texas Spur, February 24, 1944
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